Find out how popular the last name Holst is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Holst.

Holst, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Holst surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Holst in America

Holst is the 7129th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Holst surname appeared 4,691 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Holst.

We can also compare 2010 data for Holst to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Holst

The surname Holst originated in Germany and Scandinavia during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old Norse word "holtr," meaning a small hill or wooded knoll. The name likely referred to someone who lived near or on a small hill or wooded area.

In Germany, the name was originally spelled "Holste" or "Holsten." It first appeared in historical records in the 13th century, such as the Liber Censualis, a tax register from the city of Lübeck. The name was particularly common in northern Germany and the regions of Holstein and Schleswig.

In Scandinavia, the name was spelled "Holst" or "Holste." One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Jens Holst, a Danish nobleman who lived in the 14th century. The name was also found in Norway, where it was often associated with the region of Holstebro.

The Domesday Book, a record of land ownership in England compiled in 1086, does not contain any references to the surname Holst, suggesting it was not yet present in England at that time.

Notable individuals with the surname Holst include:

1. Gustav Holst (1874-1934), an English composer best known for his orchestral suite "The Planets."
2. Niels Holst (1905-1987), a Danish sculptor and artist known for his abstract works.
3. Edvard Holst (1853-1931), a Norwegian historian and author who wrote extensively on the history of Norway.
4. Hans Holst (1886-1977), a Danish architect and designer who played a significant role in the development of Danish functionalism.
5. Theodor Holst (1810-1842), a Norwegian painter and one of the pioneers of Norwegian romantic nationalism in art.

The surname Holst has a rich history, originating from the Old Norse language and likely referring to a person living near a small hill or wooded area. It has been present in various parts of northern Europe since the medieval period and has been borne by notable individuals in fields such as art, music, literature, and architecture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Holst

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Holst.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Holst was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Holst has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Holst was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Holst, please contact us.

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